Games Workshop

This article or section needs an Image or Picture.Any uploaded images/pictures of Citadel Miniatures and graphics from GW-Pages and sourcebooks have to be marked with Template:Copyright and should have meaningful names. See Lexicanum:Images for suggestions.This article has been tagged since 18th February 2010

Games Workshop is a BritishGame production and retailing company. Games Workshop is one of the largest games companies in the world, and is the dominant company in the miniature wargaming hobby. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange with symbol GAW.

During the 90s, following a management buyout in December 1991 the company refocussed on their most lucrative lines, namely their miniature wargameWarhammer lines. The retail chain refocussed on a younger, more family-oriented market. The change of direction was a great success with a rising share price and growing profits, in spite of the fact that it lost the company much of its old, loyal fanbase. The complaints of these old customers led a breakaway group of GW employees to publish Fantasy Warlord in competition with GW, but this met with little success. Games Workshop expanded in Europe and the USA opening new branches and organizing events. The company was floated on the London Stock Exchange in October 1994. In October 1997, all UK based operations were relocated to the current HQ in Lenton, Nottingham.

Recently the company has been attempting to create a dual approach that will appeal to both older, loyal customers while still attracting the younger audience. This has seen the creation of initiatives such as the "Fanatic" range that supports more marginal lines with a lower cost trading model (the Internet is used widely in this approach, to collect ideas and playtest reports).

One of their better-known games is HeroQuest which was sold in high street stores under the MB name and introduced many people to the hack 'n' slash style of game.

Miniatures games

Currently in Production

"Specialist" games

The following games are considered "specialist" and are not necessarily available in Games Workshop stores. They are however available through mail order and are supported by the specialist games division of Games Workshop. Note also that some of these games (e.g. Necromunda) are available only as rules and miniatures, not in the "boxed set" form that they originally took. They are all set within one of the universes of the main games.

Licensed games

These games were not made by Games Workshop but used Games Workshop style models (usually of lesser quality) and concepts with simplified game systems. These games were made by mainstream toy companies and available in standard toy and department stores rather than just in Games Workshop and specialist gaming stores. They are clearly set in Warhammer worlds.

Role playing games

Several of the miniatures games (e.g. Inquisitor) involve a role playing element, however Games Workshop has in the past published role playing games set within the Warhammer universe. Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay returned to print with a new edition on March 292005. It is being published by Black Industries[1], a Games Workshop subsidiary.

Out of print

Board games

Games Workshop had a strong history in boardgames development, alongside the miniatures and RPGs. Confusingly, several may have had roleplaying elements, or for that matter had miniatures included or produced.

Many computer games have been produced by third parties based on the Warhammer universes owned by the firm. These include:
(Miniature game they are based on is included in parentheses after the game name)

A Warhammer online role-playing game, Warhammer: Age of Reckoning, was released by Mythic Entertainment in 2008, who took over from Climax under whom the project was deemed cancelled.

Printed Media

Many Comic Books and Novels have also been produced based on the Warhammer universes.

The first Games Workshop novels were released by GW Books in 1981-1991. These books were later released by Boxtree Publishing as well as new novels. In 1997 Games Workshop openned their own publishing wing - Black Library. Black Library began by releasing Inferno and Warhammer Monthly magazines, reprinting old novels and eventually releasing new ones.

Comics of the Warhammer universe have existed in a number of publications. The adventures of Kaleb Daark, follower of Malal, first appeared in the Citadel Journal publication. Later, Black Library published the Warhammer Monthly comics from 1997 to 2003. More recently three Warhammer graphic novels have been released by Boom Studios and a hardcover graphic novel is available for Warhammer: Age of Reckoning.

Miniatures

Games Workshop originally produced miniature figures via an associated, originally independent, company called Citadel Miniatures (of which Maurauder Miniatures was an imprint) while the main company concentrated on retail. The distinction between the two blurred after Games Workshop stores ceased to sell retail products by other manufacturers, and Citadel was effectively merged back into Games Workshop.

Magazines

Games Workshop's best known magazine is White Dwarf, which in the UK has now passed 307 issues. Seven different international editions of White Dwarf are currently published, with different material, in five languages. Originally a more general roleplaying magazine, since around issue 100 White Dwarf has been devoted exclusively to the support of Games Workshop properties.

Games Workshop also published Fanatic Magazine in support of their Specialist Games range, but it was discontinued after issue 10, though it lives on in electronic form. Fanatic was preceded by a number of newsletters, devoted to the particular games.

There was also the Citadel Journal, intended as a "deeper" magazine for modelling enthusiasts and more experienced gamers. It often featured unusual rules and armies, and was occasionally used as an outlet for test rules. Under some editors, they also published fan fiction and fan art. This is no longer published.

Licensing

In conjunction with the production of cinematic adaptation of The Lord of the Rings, Games Workshop acquired the rights to produce a skirmish wargame based on the films, and also on the novels by J.R.R. Tolkien. The rights to produce a roleplaying game version of the films were sold to another firm.

Games Workshop Group PLC

Games Workshop has expanded into several divisions/companies producing products related to the Warhammer universe.

Games Workshop produce the tabletop wargames, Citadel miniatures and the Specialist Games range.